How I met Stanley Yelnats 2: Custody
by Deyna Ian Bloom
Summary: After Deyna's grandparents die, Lorene claims to be her mother. Pendanski is found dead and now D-Tent must bring her back. NOW COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1: The funeral

"Ashes to ashes, and dust to dust." The low voice of the minister brought me out of my trance. My eyes had been fixed on the maple caskets that held my grandparents and my thoughts had drifted to happier times of Camp Green Lake with the D-Tent boys. My eyes floated back up to see the remorseful faces of Squid, ZigZag, Magnet, Armpit and X-Ray. Stanley stood beside me with a protective arm around my shoulders and Zero stood next to him. Stanley's parents completed the circle along with his grandfather and the minister and of course, the minister's wife. My grandparents were not very social people so it was not strange to see only my friends at the funeral.

My eyes refocused from the minister's shoes as the last shovel of dirt was put into the hole. I remembered digging it. It had been my tribute to my grandparents since they never made me dig holes for them; they'd figured that I had dug enough of them. Though, over time, your hands can get pretty soft. Stanley and I had been going out for 2 years and we were seniors in high school.

"Deyna." Stanley's gentle squeeze brought me back.

"Oh, sorry." I smiled and then put my thinking face back on.

The funeral was soon over and the minister hugged Deyna before leaving.

"You've grown into a beautiful young woman. I hope that you find someone who will take care of you." He smiled and looked at Stanley (hint hint). I had grown a little taller, my hair was past my waist, I had pierced ears and I dressed more like a girl, but I wouldn't say that I was beautiful. The minister's wife hugged me before taking her husband's arm and leaving. Stanley's parents followed them because they were going to go to lunch with them. Stanley's grandfather was going to go back to Stanley's house and we were going out to lunch by ourselves also.

"Are you ready to go eat lunch, Deyna?" Stanley asked me while he caressed my shoulder with his fingers.

"Yes, let's get out of here." The other boys smiled and we all walked to Stanley's car.

"Shotgun!" I yelled and ran the rest of the way to the car. I heard D-Tent laughing behind me as I slid into the car. Zero sat next to me and Squid, ZigZag, Magnet, Armpit and X-Ray squeezed into the back seat. (Imagine 5 guys in the back of a Plymouth. Funny sight.)

"Seatbelts on?" Stanley asked before he put the key in the ignition. After a few clicks and then some yeses, he started the car.

On the way there, I fiddled with Stanley's radio. It first stopped on a rock station, then a classical station, then a pop station and then my favorite one. It played my favorite theaters songs with no vocals so you could sing along with it. Armpit groaned.

"Oh come on! Do we have to listen to this?" I heard ZigZag hit him.

"Hey, dude, don't mess with Stanley's woman." The back seat laughed. "If she puts it on a station, then it stays." Stanley smiled at me. He didn't like the station but he loved to hear me sing to the music. So did Zero.

We arrived at the restaurant and Stanley helped me out of the car. The back seat tumbled out and they stretched their limbs.

"Boy Armpit, you don't smell half as bad. Did you take a bath?" Magnet asked him.

"Yep." He smiled and lifted his arms up. "But I didn't put on any deodorant!"

"Auuuuuuuuuuuugh!!" We all turned away to avoid the smell and ZigZag pulled his arms back down.

"Aww! Armpit!" Stanley took my hand and we entered the restaurant. Magnet rubbed his hands together.

"All right! Mexican food!" He laughed and led the way to our table. The people in the restaurant stared at us as we walked by.

"What's their problem?" I asked Stanley as I clutched his arm. He shrugged one shoulder and pulled out my chair.

After we had ordered our food, we devoured the chips in the middle of the table. It was then that I noticed a strange woman watching my every move.


	2. Chapter 2: Sleepover

After lunch was over, we all went back to Stanley's house. Since everyone except Zero and myself lived out of town, all of the guys were bunking at Stanley's house and Stanley's mom and I were bunking at Zero's house with Zero's mom. I wasn't entirely okay with the idea, but oh well.

Stanley's parents were still gone when we got back so we all decided to watch a movie. [How about Holes?? Ha ha!]

Zero put in some popcorn and the other guys unrolled their sleeping bags.

We voted on a movie and Pirates of the Caribbean won. (We picked out of a hat, and that was my choice so I didn't complain.)

I popped the movie in and took my "watching a movie" position next to Stanley on the couch. His arm around me with no space between us and my head on that soft spot just under his collarbone next to his shoulder.

'And he asks why I watch so many movies with him,' I thought as the movie started, with a smug look on my face.

All too soon, the parents arrived and I had to go to Zero's house. Stanley's mom picked up her stuff and my bag.

"Come on, Deyna. When we get there, we can talk about men in general." I smirked.

"The world's shortest conversation." I got my sleeping bag and stopped at the back doors to say goodnight to Stanley. He put his hands on my waist and I wrapped mine around his neck.

"Goodnight." I brushed my lips on his and he deepened the kiss. Soon, we were making out, [Whatever that is.] which was not what I intended.

"Golly! You'd think that they were going to be apart for 12 years, instead of just one night." All the kids laughed and all the adults sighed.

"I'm going to have grandbabies before you know it! [Heh, my mom says this.]" Stanley's mom stood in the doorway with tears coming from her eyes. I gave Stanley a "your mom is so weird" look and left with her.

Zero's mom already had stuff ready for us so we set up our sleeping bags.

"Do you have any twos? Deyna?" Zero's mom snapped in my face.

"Oh, sorry. Go fish." I was day dreaming again and failed to notice the two in my hand. Stanley's mom looked at her watch. It was almost midnight.

"I think that it's time for bed now." She got comfy on her cot while I put up my Lord of the Rings cards back up.

"Goodnight ladies," Zero's mom said as she stretched out on the padded floor. Raindrops started to fall as my eyelids drooped and shut. A few minutes later, my dreams started.

__

Stanley and I walk through a park. It is spring and there are birds. The sound of a gun is heard and Stanley falls down dead.

Thunder woke me from my nightmare. Tears streamed from my face as I fought my blankets off and ran out of the house. The distance between the two houses was not long but it was still raining. The back doors were locked when I reached them so I banged my fists on them.

"Stanley!" I shouted above the storm. Stanley lay on the couch with one leg hanging off. His eyes opened from my noise and he got up fast when he saw me. He unlocked the doors and I shoved one of them open.

"Stanley, please don't leave me." I grabbed him, even though I was sopping wet and cried again.

He kissed my head and put his arms around me. Stanley's dad walked over to us after he woke up.

"Stanley, what's wrong?"

"I don't know, dad." He stroked my hair as I controlled my sobs.

Soon, the whole house was awake.


	3. Chapter 3: Twitch

The next morning, everyone sat down to breakfast. I sat down next to Stanley and Zero and stared at the table. Everyone was a little angry because I had woken them up so I was feeling guilty.

All of a sudden, the sound of a crashing car came from outside. We all jumped up and ran out the door.

We found my Chevrolet Corvette up against the curb across the street.

"Oh my gosh! What happened?" Stanley's mom said, as we all hastened to the car. We were greeted with the smiling and confused face of Twitch.

"Hey guys!" He smiled as he looked around the group. Then he turned back to my car. "Really nice car."

"You never change, do you, Twitch?" Twitch got smashed with hugs and he got a really hard one from me. I made him drive my car back into the driveway and inspect the damage. It wasn't too bad so everyone went back inside and we finished our breakfast.

This time, conversation rattled on. I wasn't listening to what they were saying. It was mainly about how many cars Twitch had hot wired and so on. As soon as I was done, I left the kitchen and went to Stanley's room.

Stanley's house was like my second house so a few of my things were in his room since there wasn't a guestroom.

I sat down in my chair, which had Stanley's jacket thrown over the top, and started to cry.

I heard the door open and Stanley walked in. My eyes were blurred with tears but I felt him pull me from my chair and wrap his arms around me.

"What's wrong, Deyna?" I sputtered out the things that were bothering me.

"My grandparents died, I got an A- in History, my dad's in jail, Twitch crashed my car and…and…" I broke off and sobbed again.

"And what?" He brought my face to look at him.

"Nothing." I looked down.

"It's not nothing. Tell me." He stared at me with his big brown eyes. (I'm a sucker for brown eyes.)

"Stanley! Deyna! Come on! We're going to the mall!" Gladly, I left the room and Stanley followed me.

My car was still drive-able so Stanley and Zero got in. Armpit held Twitch back from Mrs. Yelnat's Cherokee Jeep.

"Twitch, cut it out! You can only crash one car in one day."

"But, but, but!"

"Stanley, I think Mr. Itchy-Fingers needs to ride in your Plymouth." Twitch looked at the vehicle in question.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" X-Ray and Armpit dragged him, screaming to the car and dumped him into the back seat.

Stanley tossed Zig-Zag his keys so he could drive the Plymouth, and the rest of the group got into the Jeep.

When we arrived at the mall, I parked my Corvette next to Stanley's car.

"Pleeeeeeeease! Let me out of here!" Twitch looked like he was dying inside of the old car. Squid opened the door and he tumbled out. "THANK YOU!!"

We all went into the mall, but Twitch started to look a little sick.

"Twitch, are you okay?" He shook his head and asked to leave the mall to get some fresh air.

"Sure, Twitch. Just don't leave the parking lot." Stanley's mom patted his head as he left. Suddenly, it hit me.

"Stanley." I gulped. "We just sent Twitch outside, and there's a parking lot full of cars out there!"


	4. Chapter 4: In the mall

[Thank you to everyone who has reviewed my story! You really help me a lot!]

After a chase around the parking lot, we finally apprehended Twitch.

"I wasn't doing anything! Honest! Please don't lock me up in that car again! Please!" He fell to the ground and grabbed onto Stanley's legs, begging.

"I don't know, it's up to the guys." Twitch smiled up at the other members of D-Tent.

"Well, I don't know." Squid played with the toothpick in between his teeth.

"You have to promise not to hot-wire a car or touch a car as long as you live."

"I promise, I promise!" He shook his head and smiled.

"Stanley, hand me your keys please." I caught the keys as he tossed them to me and dangled them in Twitch's face. "And if you even look at my car…well…you'll find out." I smiled and laughed. "Juuuust kidding."

We all walked back into the mall, again and began to look at the stores.

"Ooh! Kohls!" I grabbed Stanley's hand and we went with Zero into the store, while everyone else kept on walking.

"Do we _have_ to go shopping?" Zero looked disgusted.

"Um, we're at a mall. That's what you do here." He sighed.

"If you need me, I'll be in the shoe store." He walked off and I rushed over to the women's section and Stanley was right behind me. I began flipping through some cute summer shirts when Stanley's hand covered mine.

"Deyna, what's wrong." I moved my hand and continued moving down the rack.

"Nothing's wrong." He stopped me again.

"Deyna, I know something's wrong. What is it?"

"I told you. I'm fine."

"No, you're not."

"Stanley, please. Not here."

"Why not?" I turned to him and spoke angrily.

"I can't tell you right now. I just can't." I began to cry and he held me close, like he always did when I needed him.

"It's okay, I'm sorry. Stop crying, we're in a store." I stopped crying and slapped him on his arm.

"Don't be sassy." I kissed him lightly, knowing how much he hated it. "Back to clothes shopping."

I finally picked out a few blouses, a jacket, some pants and some earrings. I paid for it and we left the store.

We sat down in the food court, waiting for the rest of the group.

"I hope that they get here soon. I'm so tired." I yawned and lowered my head on Stanley's shoulder.

"Deyna, who is that woman?" I looked up and glanced at a strange woman who was looking at us from another table.

"I don't know. I've never seen her before."

"She looks familiar somehow." Stanley was staring back at her until she got up and walked towards us.

"Pumpkin! Oh my baby! I've finally found you!" She ran up to me and hugged me.

"Who are you?"

"Why, Deyna! I'm your mother!"


	5. Chapter 5: The Will

"Stanley, please don't tell them." I walked into Stanley's house and stopped.

"Tell us what?" I looked up at the group in Stanley's kitchen. Squid was stuffing his face with a candy bar.

"Hey, why'd you two ditch us at the mall?" He swallowed and took another bite.

"Yah, we looked for ya'll but we couldn't find you." Zig-Zag looked at Squid and took a step away from him.

"We got delayed." I sat down on one of the empty barstools and Stanley walked over to his grandfather.

"That's a light word for it." I could tell that he was angry with me.

"Stanley, not right now." Stanley's mom looked at us both.

"What happened?"

"We met someone in the mall." I didn't say anything else.

"And?"

"She says that she's Deyna's mom." All eyes were on me. I fixed my eyes on the salt shakers.

"I don't understand it. She had the papers and everything."

"So, what's the problem?"

"My mother died 14 years ago. Dad used to talk about her."

"Did he have pictures of her?"

"No. All I had were his descriptions."

"So it's between his word and hers," Armpit said.

"And we know how trustworthy Pendanski can be." I whirled my head after Stanley closed his mouth. I got up in a shot.

"Don't talk about my father like that! He may be in jail, but he would never lie to me!" I was tired, confused and angry and before I knew it, I was trying to beat up my boyfriend.

"Deyna! Stop it!" Stanley's mom pulled me off of him. "This is childish. Your father is trustworthy, Deyna. Stanley was wrong. And since your father is in jail, we will have to settle this thing in court." I kept my eyes away from Stanley and sat back down. The phone rang. Stanley's dad got it.

"Hello?" Pause. "Deyna, it's for you." He handed me the cordless.

"Hello?"

"Deyna Pendanski?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Would you please come to the courthouse today at 4:00 for the reading of your grandparents' will?"

"Yes, Sir. I'll be there."

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye." I hung it up and laid it on the table. Everyone stared unknowingly at me. "They're reading my grandparents will today at 4:00." A tear fell from my eye at the reminder that I was alone. Oh, how I missed my father.

At the courthouse, I was the only one present so they let Stanley and company come in and sit with me. My lawyer stood up and spoke.

"Now, Miss Pendanski, you are the sole heir to your grandparents fortune. You must realize that-" He stopped and look at the presence in the doorway. It was "she". Her fiery red hair was concealed in a black hat and she was dressed in a way too old-fashioned black dress.

"I'm here! You can read the will now!"

"And who are you?"

"Why, I'm Deyna's mother. Who did you think I was, silly." She walked over to me and tried to hug me but I pushed her away. "Now, are you the kid's- I mean, my darling Deyna's lawyer?"

"Yes, ma'am. Am I to assume that you are Miss Pendanski's mother?"

"Yes! I told you! My name's on the will, is it not?" He scanned the paper.

"I'm afraid that only Deyna's name is mentioned."

"I expected as much. My parents never liked me very much. So, seeing as how Deyna is underage, I shall take full custody of her and her money until she reaches the age of 18." I stared helplessly at a stack of papers.

"Deyna, would you like to say something?" My lawyer beckoned me to speak.

"I don't know who this woman is. My mother died 14 years ago." The woman laughed.

"So your father and grandparents would like you to believe. It's a lie, sweetheart! I want to spend every spare moment I can with you until you are 18. I missed your entire childhood. Do you know how much that hurts me to know that I missed when you lost your first tooth, when you rode your first bike? All those things I missed. I don't want to miss anymore." She almost looked convincing as a fake tear fell down her cheek. My lawyer looked stunned.

"Well, um, we will have to settle this in court."

"Anything to get my baby back." She smiled sweetly at me.

"Oh, good grief! I think I'm going to be sick."

My lawyer scheduled the court session for the next day.

"Let's face it, Deyna. She has a chance at winning," my lawyer confesses to me.

"We'll see who wins."


	6. Chapter 6: In Court

We sat down in court the next day, prepared to fight for my custody. I was in my best black dress and Stanley sat beside me in his suit. He leaned over.

"Last time I was in court, I was on trial." I laughed softly but stopped when I saw "her" walk in.

"Look who decided to show up." I shot a vile look at her as she sat down at her table with her lawyer.

The judge walked in and read one of the papers on his desk. He addressed the woman.

"Lorene Pendanski?" She stood up.

"Yes your honor?"

"This case is to decide whether you have any legal rights to your daughter, Deyna Pendanski." I winced.

"No, I'm _not_ her daughter." I whispered. My lawyer heard and stood up.

"Objection, my client's mother died 14 years ago." The judge acknowledged him and pounded on his desk with his mallet.

"Objection sustained, sit down." I shot an "I won" look at Lorene and she growled. Her lawyer stood up.

"May I call Deyna Pendanski to the stand?" He got permission and motioned me to stand up. I felt Stanley grab my hand and squeeze it, then I went to the stand.

"Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?"

"I swear." _'Duh! Do you want me to say that I won't?'_ I couldn't help but think that. I sat down and Lorene's lawyer looked at me funny.

"Tell me something about your father. Was he nice to you when you were growing up?"

"Yes, no one could love me more than my daddy." I glanced at Stanley. Well, almost no one.

"So he told you about your mother, about how she had left him?"

"No, my father told me that my mother had died when I was 4."

"Do you remember what she looked like?"

"No, I'm sorry."

"So, after your mother, "died", shall we say, did your father make you resent her for leaving?" I felt like screaming at him so I turned to the Judge.

"Can I object to him?" He almost looked amused.

"Of course, what's wrong?"

"He's contradicting me. He's acting like I'm lying." The judge grew serious.

"Objection sustained. Continue." The lawyer looked at me like bloody murder.

"As I was saying, how did your father describe your mother?" I shut my eyes and remembered the picture that he had drawn me with his words.

"She was very beautiful. 5 feet tall with dark skin; brown hair, like myself." I opened my eyes and saw the judge eyeing Lorene. She was plain, 6 feet tall and had red hair.

"So, what else happened in your childhood?"

"My father helped run Camp Green Lake, the juvenile prison camp for boys."

"And where were you at the time?"

"I was there with him." The lawyer looked up and found something that he could pick at.

"Your father put you in a camp with boys your age that could've taken advantage of you?"

"I was disguised as a boy myself. They didn't know that I was a girl."

"If your father loved you then why did he make you go through that?"

"I chose to be there, he tried to get me to stay with my grandparents but after my mother died, he had never been away from me. I still needed him."

"Who did you meet at the camp?"

"I met Stanley, Hector, Alan, Theodore, Rex, Jose, and Ricky." I saw each of them wince as I said their names.

"Where are they now? Still in the camp?" I stared hard at him. He wasn't asking these questions to get answers, he already knew the answers.

"They're right here, in the courtroom." He turned as they stood up to acknowledge themselves.

"I see, so where's your father? Is he here too?"

"No, after the camp was closed, he went to jail."

"So you're wanting me to believe the tales of a man who is in jail?" I wanted to burst out at him but I kept my cool. When I didn't answer, he acted like he had won the argument. "Your honor, I suggest that we adjourn for now until we can get the testimony of Mr. Pendanski. Maybe he can tell us what is true," he looked straight at me, "and what is not." He strutted back over to his seat. "No further questions."

"Very well, meeting adjourned until Mr. Pendanski is brought out." He pounded with the mallet and left the room. I sat still in the stand. If I got up, I knew that I would strangle Lorene's lawyer. Stanley walked over to me with my lawyer and everyone else.

"You okay, Deyna?" Stanley's mother asked me. To answer, I kicked the judge's desk next to me, hard.

"I want to see Dad before we come back."

"Of course." Stanley held out his hand for me and we all left the building.

"Cheer up, Deyna. Things can't get any worse." But Stanley was wrong. (dun, dun, dun!)


	7. Chapter 7: A tragedy

The prison was five miles out of town so it took a few minutes to get there.

Normally when I visited my Dad, we talked through the glass thing that they have connected to speaker and microphone. But today, since they were getting him ready for the trial, I got to see him in his cell.

Stanley was permitted to come with me but everyone else had to stay in the lobby. The prison guard led us to the cell. Dad was sitting there in handcuffs with another guard in his room. He saw me and was allowed to walk up to the bars and talk to me.

"Hey, Baby. They told me what happened. Don't worry, she won't get you." He looked pale and sick.

"Daddy, are you alright?"

"Oh sure sweetheart, I'm-" He cut off and fell to the ground. I screamed and tore at the lock to get in. The guard let me in and I held my precious father's head in my arms. His eyes opened and he looked at Stanley who was kneeling beside me. "Take care of her, Stanley." Stanley nodded and then his eyes rolled closed.

"Daddy! Please don't leave me! Please!" The guard felt of his neck.

"I'm sorry, Miss. He's gone." I stared with disbelief at the guard and then back down at my father's face.

"Daddy!" I whispered and then planted a kiss on his cheek. I cradled him close to me, wishing that he was still there.

"Come on, Miss; there's nothing more you can do." The guard took my father's body out of my arms and Stanley helped me to stand. I clung to him like saran wrap.

"Don't ever leave me, Stanley."

"I won't ever, I promise. No matter what happens."

The court was informed of my father's death so they postponed the trial for two days to give us time for a funeral.

I was again digging a grave and standing at a funeral with all of my friends, but this time, Stanley never left my side.

Mr. Sir was allowed to come to the funeral with a guard watching him. His time in prison had softened his heart and now he was a very kind man. He stood beside Magnet on the other side of the hole until the funeral was over. Then he walked up to me.

"I'm sorry, Deyna. I truly am. I only wish that there was some way that I could help." He embraced me in a gentle hug.

"That's okay, Mr. Sir." I looked around for the Warden. "I half expected the Warden to come. Where is she?" Mr. Sir looked uneasy.

"Oh, I thought that they had told you. She escaped from prison a week ago and a half ago. The world isn't safe with that woman lose." He squeezed Stanley and left with a smile to me. I smiled a little but remembered why my life was miserable. One of the reasons was walking up from behind us.

"Oh, sweetheart! I came as soon as I heard!" She tried to hug me but Stanley stopped her and held me to him. She shrugged it off. "So, when are they going to read the will?" I felt like hitting her.

"My father didn't own anything. You don't care about him, even if you were my mother. All you want is the money that my grandparents left me." She acted like I was delusional.

"My baby is talking nonsense! She needs a day out with her mother after this horrible incident." She tried to take me again but Stanley's mom stopped her.

"Hey, listen, Barbie, I'm more of a mother to Deyna than you are so back off." She growled and stomped off, muttering.

The trial went back on the next day and I was sitting miserably in the court mourning my beloved father. My lawyer sensed this and did not call me to the stand. After a while of talking and questioning with Mr. Sir, Stanley and others, the judge stood up.

"The court has come to a decision."


	8. Chapter 8: She won

[Thanks for the life-threatening reviews. I'll put black curtains on my windows.]

I couldn't believe my ears.

"Lorene Pendanski has been granted custody of Deyna Pendanski." Stanley shot up from his chair.

"NO!!" I was right behind him.

"You can't decide that!"

"I'm sorry, Miss Pendanski but seeing as how your father is dead and he's not exactly trustworthy, I have to give you to Mrs. Pendanski." Stanley and I passed a look and then looked back at the judge.

"This isn't right and I'll be darned if I let it happen!" I kicked over the desk in front of me in my fury. The judge got angry.

"You do that again and I'll give you to her right now!" Stanley cradled me in his arms to cool me off. "Now, Miss Pendanski, you are to report back here tomorrow at 12 so your mother can pick you up. You have until then." He pounded on his desk and left the room. Lorene got up and walked to us.

"See you tomorrow, kid." She laughed, left with her lawyer, and slammed the door behind her. I sank down in my chair, confused and crying. D-Tent was leaning over the wooden barrier, watching my scene.

"Are you going to stand for this, Hercules?" I turned to X-Ray and smiled.

"Thanks X-Ray, but what can I do? I feel so helpless."

"Don't worry, it'll be okay." And for once, Stanley was right.

I drove with Stanley to my grandparent's old house to pack my things.

"Okay, what do I pack?" He stood in my enormous room, looking around.

"All the books in the small bookcase, the stuffed animals on my bed, my blankets, my hair stuff, my clothes, my movies, and my photo albums." I looked around the room and saw my Pirates of the Caribbean stand-up. I groaned. "I can't bring that. But I'm not selling it." He began to pack my favorite books and I started packing my clothes. Like I was going to let him see my underwear. Please!

We packed all of my essentials and my favorite things but there was still stuff left over.

"I guess that I'll have to leave this here." I remembered the envelope in my pocket suddenly and sat down on my bed. "Stanley, come here for a second." He dropped the bag of movies that he was packing and sat down next to me.

"What's on your mind, babe." He laughed and got serious.

"Stanley," I fought to find the right words. "Here." I handed him the envelope to save conversation. He opened it and almost dropped it with surprise.

"Deyna, this is the deed to this house, and it has my name on it." I lightly touched his hand.

"I want you to have it. I thought that since Lorene is getting my money, and me, she shouldn't get this house. So I talked with my lawyer and we got your parents to help sign the house over to you. You can take care of my stuff for me." I stopped talking because my throat caught with tears.

"I don't want to take care of this house." He threw the papers and took me in his arms. "I want to take care of _you_."

"Oh Stanley! I don't want to leave you!" I pushed him until his back was on my bed and kissed him. I poured in all my love for him and my thanks for his help during my rough times. I had never kissed him that passionately before.

Unfortunately, a throat cleared above my head and I lifted my head to look at Stanley's mom.

"Well, it seems that you do need my help with packing. At the rate that you're going, you'll be packing to go to the maternity ward."

"Mom!" He got up and his face turned red. (Guys are so cute when they're embarrassed!)

After my stuff was packed, we went to Stanley's house. Stanley and his mom were stalling outside to keep me from going inside. They fussed with my bags and parking my car.

"What are you two up to?" They looked innocently back at me as if to say "Us?" I rolled my eyes and opened the door.

"Surprise!" Everyone jumped out from their hiding places and shouted.

"What's this?" I asked, waving away some confetti.

"Well, Deyna. You mean a lot to us so we decided to throw you a going away party." Stanley's dad rolled out a cake on a tray with the words "We love you, Deyna" on it. I was speechless.

"It's beautiful. I don't know what to say." Stanley walked up to me.

"Make a wish and blow out the candles."

"But it's not my birthday."

"Who cares?" I shrugged and made my wish - that Stanley would get me back from Lorene. I blew out all of the candles in one breath.

We ate the cake and everyone gave me presents. All of the guys gave me a picture of everyone together and the adults gave me some books. Stanley saved his for last and wouldn't give it to me until all the presents were opened.

"I've been meaning to give this to you for a long time." He started reaching into his pocket to bring out a small box but the doorbell rang so he put it back and got up to answer it.

Lorene stormed into the house and pointed at me.

"You, kid! Come with me, now!" She made me get up and start to leave but I stopped.

"Goodbye, Stanley. I love you." I pressed my lips to his for a few seconds but then Lorene pulled me away and he was gone.


	9. Chapter 9: The attic

[Thanks Megan for giving me the idea of Lorene being the Warden's sister! I'm using it!]

"Put your stuff down, kid." Lorene had brought me to an old shack about 5 miles out of town. A sheet separated an extra room and she motioned for me to put my stuff there. The old metal bed creaked when I put my suitcases on it. She walked back over to me.

"Why did you bring me here?" She crossed her arms and looked at me.

"I can't answer that, kid. My sister can though."

"Your sister?" She nodded.

"She'll be here soon. Until she does, you can unpack your stuff." She left the sheet-room and I slumped down next to my suitcase.

I heard the door slam and Lorene started talking to someone.

"Where is she?"

"She's over here. I got her as soon as I could."

"You haven't hurt her?"

"Of course not! But I ain't gonna' be a baby sitter to her!" Heavy footsteps came towards me and the sheet was thrown back.

"Hello Deyna." I stared into the face of the Warden.

"Warden! What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in jail!" She laughed.

"Jail can't hold me. I escaped." Lorene walked up behind her.

"Okay, cut the jabber. Now it's time to get her money!"

"This is about money?" I stared at the two women.

"Yes. Lou here told me that you had rich grandparents so we decided to bump them off so I could claim motherhood to you and get your dough. Then, when I found out about your father, I decided to bump him off too." The Warden turned to Lorene.

"You killed him?"

"Yeah, why? You got somethin' wrong with it?" The Warden looked very angry.

"You weren't supposed to hurt him!"

"Well how was I supposed to know!" She stormed off and the Warden turned back to me.

"I'm sorry, Deyna. I didn't know. I'm so sorry!" She ran off, crying.

Stanley's POV

Deyna had been gone for 20 hours. My heart felt so heavy so I decided to go to the house that she gave me.

The rest of D-Tent decided to go with me, except for Twitch. He didn't want to even look at my car and Deyna left hers here so Lorene wouldn't sell it.

We all decided to just walk around the house and see what it was like. Deyna's grandparents had forbid us to visit her there so we had no idea what it was like.

"Hey look guys! An attic!" Magnet opened the door to it and ran up the stairs. We all followed him up to the dusty room.

When I got there, Squid was looking at some old photos, ZigZag was absorbed in an old television, X-Ray was busy dusting his glasses, Armpit was trying to open an old wardrobe, Magnet was looking at some old videos and Zero stood next to me.

"Hey look guys! It's Deyna!" Squid held out a few pictures and I walked up to look.

"No, that's not Deyna." It wasn't, but it looked like her.

"Hey, look at what I found!" Magnet brought out a few home videos. They were labeled "Baby Deyna". I grabbed both the pictures and the video.

"Guys, I have an idea."

[I know! You hate me for leaving cliffhangers but it keeps you interested in the story, right? If you have any pointers or ideas for the story, let me know in your reviews!

R&R! And no flames, please!]


	10. Chapter 10: Answers

The next morning, my o-so-excited baby sitters got me a sloppy breakfast. I guess you could've called the yellow blob eggs and the red blob meat, but I wouldn't classify them as that. I ate it all anyway. The Warden sat with me and Lorene left the house for a while.

"Deyna," she began. I ignored her. "Deyna, it wasn't my fault. It destroyed me to hear that she killed Pendanski." I looked up at her.

"So. It doesn't make it go away." She set down her coffee cup.

"I'm sorry. If there's anything that I can do to make it better, please tell me." I got up from my chair.

"The only way you can make it better is if you have the power to bring people back to life." I left the house and slammed the screen door.

The rest of the day was spent avoiding the Warden and Lorene. By dusk, I ended up in my sheet room, exhausted and missing my friends. After a while, I stood up and looked out my window as the stars.

"God," I began, "I don't hate you because you took my grandparents, and I don't hate you because you took my Daddy. But you took Stanley from me, Lord. Please, don't tear us apart because of Lorene and the Warden. Please, bring him back to me." I shut my eyes as a few tears trickled down by face.

A knock came on the front door. I pushed aside the sheet slightly and the Warden got up to answer it.

"Excuse me, ma'am, I have reason to believe that you have Deyna Pendanski here under false pretenses. [Is that the right words??]" A policeman walked in the room. The Warden pointed to Lorene.

"Not me, her." Lorene got up in a hurry.

"Don't listen to this escaped criminal, she's the one." A heard someone else walk in the door.

"Where is she?" In a second, I recognized the voice and left my room.

"Stanley!" I started to run towards him but Lorene stopped me. She held my arms tightly and whispered in my ear.

"Say that I'm your mother or I'll kill that boy, so help me!" Her nails dug into my skin.

"Not on your life." I elbowed her in the stomach, grabbed her arm and flipped her onto the ground. I looked up and Stanley, the policeman and the Warden had their mouths wide open. I took advantage of the opportunity and grabbed Stanley. He hugged me back but was still stunned. Lorene got up, painfully.

"You don't understand! I got custody of my daughter." The policeman took out some papers.

"I'm afraid that's not true. These papers say that you are not her mother." Lorene grabbed them.

"How'd you do it?" I asked Stanley. He smiled.

"I found some old pictures and an old video in your attic of your mom. I showed them to the judge and he gave your custody to me."

"You?" He smiled again.

"Well, my parents." The policeman slapped handcuffs on Lorene. She turned to the Warden.

"You did this! You insisted that you use the phone." The policeman turned to the Warden.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry but I'm going to have to arrest you too."

"Wait, what did you do?" She turned to me.

"I called Stanley so he knew where to find you."

"Why would you do that? I've been mean to you all day." She looked down.

"Your mother was my sister."


	11. Chapter 11: Together again

[Warden: "Why do you hate me?" Deyna: "Because. You killed my father." Warden: "No, Deyna. I am your father." Deyna: "Um..." Heh, I had to put this.]

The Warden sat down with Stanley and me at the small table in the shack.

"Lorene is not my sister. I owed her money so she made me tell her where I knew some was. The only money that I knew of was my parents, since I never knew what was inside the chest." She looked towards Stanley and smiled. "Your mother was a wonderful woman. The only reason that I let you in the camp was because of her. She made me promise before she died to keep you and Pendanski together. But after a while, your face reminded me too much of her so that's why I sent you out as a camper. I couldn't take the pain." I reached forward and squeezed her hand.

"I'm glad that I have a relative that's not dead." I shot a look at Lorene who was scowling in our direction. The policeman spoke up.

"This woman is an escaped criminal. I can't let her go!" I stood up.

"I will vouch for her. She's my aunt and a changed woman. She doesn't belong in jail anymore." I hugged her. (Kodak moment...)

We all left the shack happy, except for Lorene. The policeman put Lorene and the Warden in his car and Stanley and I drove ahead of them in my car (Twitch was getting itchy fingers again).

I leaned against Stanley and linked my arms around one of his.

"What were you going to give me at my party?" He smiled and kept on driving. "Sure, ignore me. I know how to get it out of you." He laughed.

"I'll give it to you when we get home. This isn't the place." He brought one arm around my shoulders and I snuggled against him.

In no time, we were home. D-Tent came out of the house and gave me monster hugs.

"We thought that you were gone forever!"

"I never thought that I would see you again!" Armpit squeezed me.

"Dude! Chill! I've been gone for one day!" He let me go and set me on the ground. The Warden walked up behind me and stood next to me. The boys saw her and backed up.

"The Warden! What's she doin' here?" Squid asked.

"She's my aunt."

"Once again you have weird relatives in weird places." I laughed and gave Zero a noogie [That's ruffling his hair]. We all went inside and sat on the couches. No one spoke. Stanley's mom cleared her throat.

"Well, in this awkward silence, Stanley, why don't you give Deyna her present. I've been dying to know what it is." His face turned red as he reached into his pocket and brought out a small box.

"It's not what I wanted to get you, but it's good anyway." I took it and lifted the small lid. Inside was an orange stoned ring with the words "D-Tent" engraved on the sides. 

"It's beautiful." My throat caught so I couldn't say anything else. He took it out of the box and slipped it on my left ring finger.

"Deyna, will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?" By that time, I was crying and so was everyone else. I ran my left hand over his cheek.

"Well? Answer him! I'm dying here!" Stanley's mom was crying the hardest. I laughed and turned back to Stanley.

"Yes." Everyone cheered as Stanley leaned in to kiss me. In all of the "congratulations", I heard Stanley's mom say:

"I'm finally going to have grandchildren!"

A few months later, Stanley and I graduated from High School. That summer, we got married and 9 months later, Stanley's mom's wish came true and we had Stanley Yelnats the 5th, and his sister, Summer.

The Warden was released from jail at my request and helped raise Stanley and Summer while Stanley and I went to college. Stanley got his degree in business and marketing so he could run "Sploosh" and I got my degree in counseling.

Everyone in D-Tent got married and had kids and lived respectable lives. Twitch even stopped stealing cars!

The point of this story is life may throw you bad things, but something good always comes out of them.

You'll have to fill in the rest of the holes yourself.

The End.


	12. NEW IDEA!

Okay, I was thinking yesterday about writing a new Holes story (since I just ordered the Survival Guide to Camp Green Lake) and I have two ideas so far. They are both sequels to my stories.

#1: The kids of the D-Tent kids get kidnapped and have to dig at Camp Green Lake for more Kate Barlow treasure. But, I will need someone who has a motive to kidnap them. I thought of Kate Barlow's grandkid or something evil like that, but I'll need ya'll's help on that.

#2: Only the girl kids of the D-Tent kids get kidnapped (since Camp Green Lake was made into a girl's camp), but after the boys get captured looking for them, the original D-Tent kids go to find them.

So, those are my ideas. And all of you get to name the wives and kids of D-Tent. Except for Stanley's. Grr. My Caveman! Stanley's will be Deyna, Stanley V and Summer (naturally). I can't wait for people to review and give me ideas for names so R&R please! Or, if you have a better idea, I am willing to consider it...considering I thought these up last night at 12:00 a.m. :-)

Lizzie


	13. I need more names!

Very good ideas! I loved them all and will use all of the names but I only have one wife for the group. Magnet's. I still need:

Zig-Zag's wife

X-Ray's wife

Armpit's wife

Zero's wife (this one will be carefully chosen)

Squid's wife

Please give me the names and a little bit about the character so I can have a little bit of character to them. I will use the other names for children. Thanks again!

Lizzie


	14. Names, names, names!

Not bad! I didn't expect such prompt responses! Well, I still need some more ideas and please don't give me more than one wife idea. I want everyone to have a character in it! I still need:

Twitch's wife

Armpit's wife

Zig-Zag's wife

X-Ray's wife

I would also like the children to be people's characters so please don't give me more than one children's names either. I don't want to be overwhelmed! lol Thanks a million!

Lizzie


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